Amazing
by NothingNooneZero
Summary: They'd done nothing but survive for three years and now? Now they have the chance to live.
1. Chapter 1

Amazing: A Maze Runner Fanfiction

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own - 'Maze Runner'. If I did, oh the fun that gorgeous Thomas Brodie-Sangster and I would have.

They were all confused, looking around in wonder and fear. None of them knew what was going on, where they were.

"Excuse me." A teenaged girl spoke amid the yells and shouts of a group of boys. "I said, 'Excuse me!'" She shouted, gaining the attention of every other soul there. "Can we please calm down and have a little quiet. Screaming and shouting isn't going to do anyone any good." She was met with a brief silence before everybody bombarded her with questions, thinking that, because of her calm demeanor, she had the answers that they were all desperate to hear. "Look, I'm in the dark just as much as you are."

"Who the Hell are you?" One boy yelled out.

"Yeah! Who are you?" Another echoed.

"I'm...I...My name is, uh..." She struggled to remember any details about herself. "I'm, uh, I-I don't know. Who am I?" Each person in the grassy glade asked themselves that exact question.

''

"You alright there?" Zero looked down to see a honey-blonde boy standing at the base of the tree.

"I'm fine." She replied.

"Be careful up there, right? Wouldn't want you falling from so high up."

"Thanks for the concern but I have a feeling I've done this plenty of times in the past." It was silent for a moment.

"Mind if I join you up there?" Zero gave a non-committal shrug and waved her hand at the branches below.

"Go ahead. I'm not the Keeper of the Glades or anything like that." Newt smirked at that. 'Keeper of the Glades' sounded rather cool. It wasn't long before the boy reached the same height as Zero, balancing himself precariously on a branch. He moved a little, swung himself up and landed beside the girl. He held out his hand.

"I'm Newton."

"Nice to meet you Newt; I'm Zero." He smiled at the nickname she immediately gave him.

"Pleasure to meet you Zee." She smiled back.

"Do you remember anything from before this?" Zee asked, breaking the silence.

"Bits and pieces of information that makes sense but at the same time means absolutely nothing." Zero glanced at him.

"You sound a lot older than you look Newt." The boy shrugged this time. "Must be the English in you."

"England. I remember a place called London and red buses. They were everywhere. You English as well then? You've a bit of an accent."

"I'm not too sure to be honest. I can remember buildings that seemed to rise forever above the ground and people, so many people."

"Do you have any idea why we're here?" He asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine." A moment passed before Newt heard his name being called by one of the eldest boys. "Well, this has been fun. We should do it again."

"Yeah, why not. See you Newt."

"See you Zee." He said, winking at her and making his way down the tree trunk.

Zero wasn't entirely sure if she should have mentioned it but there was something familiar about the boy Newt. She had let the nickname slip as if they were old friends and couldn't help but feel that they might have been.

''

"Come over here then and let me see that arm of yours now Benji." The thirteen-year-old boy hesitantly held his arm out to the girl. It had been three months since they all mysteriously awoke; two months since they discovered they weren't alone and a month since some order had been properly established.

"This will sting a little, okay Benji? Ready?" The boy nodded. She finished treating the minor wound and bandaged the boys arm, smiling warmly at him. "All done. I'm giving you the all clear. Remember though, I don't want to see you doing any heavy lifting today. I'll let Nick know. Off you go!" She said.

"Thank you Miss Zero."

"No problem Benji. See you tonight." Zero cleared up her work station and made her way through the Glade, headed towards Nicks spot.

"Benji alright then?" The older boy asked.

"He's right as rain now Sir."

"What have I said about calling me that?"

"You've still got the boys calling me Miss. I feel like I'm forty, not fourteen." Nick shook his head and laughed.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of a visit from the Lady of the Glades?" Another voice spoke, one which had a distinctive accent setting him apart from the rest of them.

"I was informing good old Nicky about Benji's boo-boo."

"The little shank hurt himself when he tried to show off to some of the Gladers." Nick supplied, making the other boy chuckle.

"Well, I'm here to let you know that Gally and the boys have almost finished construction on the Homestead." Newt informed them.

"That's wonderful!" Zero replied. "When do we move in?"

"You're getting your own space." He told her.

"Really?" She said looking between Newt and Nick. "That's a little unfair to the rest of you."

"I don't care. I don't trust those little blighters to keep to themselves while you're there sleeping." Newt explained.

"Well aren't you just my Knight in shining armor then." Nick smiled as he watched the two. He'd become close with both; Newt was his best friend in this odd, new World and Zee was his little sister.

"Okay, enough of the flirting. Tell the boys to take a break will you Newt, they've been working harder than most of the boys."

"Righty-O then. See you both at dinner."

"See you Newt."

"Bye Guv!"

''

Over six months had passed since they'd woken in the Glade. It had been a little over a week since one of the boys ventured into the maze and the Gladers were made aware of the existence of horrible, mechanical abominations who were eager to take the lives of those that resided within the Glades. It had begun as any other day there in the Glade.

 _"Where the bloody hell does that shank think he's going?" Newt asked, gaining the attention of Nick, Zero and a boy named Alby._

 _"Andy!" Zero bellowed out, causing the boys around her to jump at the volume. They watched as the boy redirected himself towards their group._

 _"Hey everybody." The boy said, waving shyly at the lot of them._

 _"What were you doing heading over to the gate?" Nick asked._

 _"N-nothing. I wasn't headed over that way." The boy replied immediately. All four gave the boy a look of disbelief._

 _"Andy, please don't lie about something like this." Zero began. "Now why were you headed towards that gate?" The boy looked down._

 _"I just wanted to see what was out there."_

 _"Andy there's a reason we don't go in there: It's dangerous." Nick said._

 _"Look Shank, it's for your own good. Don't go in there or else you'll be in a bit of trouble, got it?" Newt warned. Andy nodded his head. "Well go on then you blighter." The boy turned tail and walked away, fast._

 _"He's going to do something stupid, you know that right?" Alby said to them. "No doubt about it."_

 _"Let's just hope it isn't as stupid as I think it's going to be." Zero said. Her hope vanished the moment they witnessed Andy running full pelt towards the Eastern gate of the maze._

 _"What the bloody shuck?!" Newt shouted and the foursome ran with all their might after the boy who had fled in the opposite direction. "Hey!" The blonde shouted, gaining the attentions of the Gladers. "Stop him!" There was a mad rush as everyone in the Glade ran after Andy._

 _"Don't shucking go in there you bloody slinthead!" Newt screamed._

 _"Andy! Stop!" Zero shouted. The boy continued to run. Everybody watched as he then disappeared into the maze. Many of the Gladers stopped running at this point, choosing instead to watch the happenings at a safe distance. Nick, Alby, Newt and Zero, along with Gally, stood at the gate and watched as the boy disappeared from their view._

 _"What's that Shank think he's shucking doing?" Gally asked the four of them._

 _"We don't bloody know." Newt replied. Gally turned to Nick and Zero, hoping they'd provide an answer._

 _"I don't know Gal; I really don't know." The builder nodded his head and they continued staring into the nothingness beyond the walls of the Glade._

 _"Come on Shanks, let's go. He'll come back eventually." Alby said._

 _"There's no point in us waiting here and no one else is going to go in there after him." Nick ordered. As the group turned around the entire Glade froze as they heard a scream sound from inside the maze._

 _"Help!" The four boys and the girl turned back around to see Andy sliding around a corner and heading straight for the Glade. That was when they saw it. One moment Andy was running towards them and the next he had been picked up by some odd looking creature that mercilessly tore him apart. The walls within the Maze then shifted, causing something akin to an Earthquake to happen within the Maze. The Eastern Gate then closed. Zero stared at the closed wall, as did the boys. She then fell to her knees as her brain finally caught up with what she had just witnessed. Gally went to catch her as she pitched forward and lowered them both to the ground. Newt turned to Nick._

 _"What the bloody hell just happened?" He asked. He had tears welling in his eyes and he, too, knelt down beside Gally and Zee, hugging the girl with one arm as she kept her head bowed and silently cried. He caught Gally's gaze and the builder nodded, removing himself from the girl and allowing Newt to take over from there._

 _"We need to hold a Gathering." Nick said. "Gally, go round everybody up, and I mean everybody. They are to stop what they're doing and get the shuck into the meeting place."_

 _"Won't have too much trouble with that. Everybody's shucking heading towards here anyway." Newt said._

 _"Come on, we need to go now." Nick said. He looked at Newt and nodded towards Zero, clearly indicating that he needed her to be there as well._

 _"We'll be there mate, don't worry." With the boys gone, Newt could focus solely on Zero. "Zee, come on. We need to go."_

 _"He's dead." She turned to him, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What the bloody hell was that thing Newt?" He shook his head._

 _"I don't know love." He almost winced as the last word slipped from his mouth. He'd been able to stop himself every other time he'd spoken to her._

 _"I guess we better go then." Newt nodded and helped her up. Both of them headed towards the Gathering in silence, replaying the look of fear on Andy's face as he raced for the gate, replaying the look of_ _realisation_ _as he was caught by the thing in the maze and replayed the amount of blood that painted the neutral_ _colour_ _of the stone maze an unnatural red._

''

"We'll have to figure something out. We know a little of how the entrances work: when they open and when they close. If we train up, start a training course of some kind, practice attacking and defending you know, then we could maybe figure out a way to defend ourselves against them." Nick was not happy about what he was hearing; not one bit. It had been two and a half weeks now since the Gladers lost one of their own. He kept a stern face, hoping that giving her his 'look' would deter the girl. Unfortunately, after mourning the death of Andy, Zero began to get curious about what lay outside of the walls of the Glade. She was currently trying her best to convince the Leader of the Gladers to allow her to go in and check it out.

"And then what Zee?"

"Whatever's beyond those walls could lead to freedom. We've been here for half a year and not once have we tried to escape."

" _He_ tried to escape and now he's dead!" Nick shouted. He started to shake his head though, noticing the look in Zee's eyes. "No. Whatever it is that's cooking up in that head of yours: no, and that's final."

"We need to think of a way to get out of here Nick and you know it. What kind of life is this? Living in constant fear?"

"You seem to be missing the point Zero. We are _living_. Not everyone has been that lucky."

"Andy at least tried." She could understand now why the boy did what he did. Everyone felt it; the oppression despite the peace of the Glade. They were trapped there by something or someone and they didn't have any choice.

"We're not burying anyone else, especially not you."

"I can do this. Let me try, Nick. If I get even a scratch, I'll head back and I will never attempt to go outside the Glades again. It's that or I go behind your back and do this without you knowing when I've left or where I've left from and none of the boys will tell you."

''

"It's a maze! We're in the middle of a fudging maze. There were signs. This, whatever the hell this thing is that we're in, it's run by someone called W.C.K.E.D." She was immediately enveloped by the arms of a honey-blonde, English boy. "It's a maze. We're all trapped in a maze." The girl was distraught. "Who the hell is sick enough to kidnap a bunch of kids and trap them in deadly maze?"

"Hush now love." Newt whispered to her, his voice firm yet gentle. He then turned to Nick, his eyes narrowed and expression dark. "You shucking let her through the gate by herself and you didn't shucking tell anybody?!" He said, his tone low and harsh. Nick ignored the English boy.

"I need to know everything you saw while you were beyond our walls Zee. Think you're up for it?" Nick questioned, earning a glare from Newt. The girl took in a deep breath, calming herself down before she turned to him.

"We need to study the maze. I-I don't know why but I know we need to study it; map it out." The leader of the Gladers nodded his head.

"We'll make a group. They can run in, draw out paths, what they see and return back before the gates to the Glades shut. We'll need food, water-"

"Watches, pens, paper; do we have anything of the sort?" Newt asked, not happy that Zero went behind his back to do something so dangerous but getting a little excited about the prospect of freedom. "I can't remember any materials coming up from the box."

The night passed with the three talking, planning and preparing.

"There'll be a gathering in the morning. We'll sort out what to do then."

''

Morning came and the Gathering had begun.

"You want us to _what_?" One of the boys exclaimed.

"I don't _want_ you to do anything. I'm asking if anyone is interested. There is a difference."

"Miss Zero went into the maze? You sent the only _female_ into the maze yesterday!" Another cried out. "Are you crazy?!"

"Boys!" Was the one word which got the talking to stop. Zero stood up from her seat on the grass and proceeded to address the group of rowdy teens as she had done on many occasions before. "I returned, I'm alive and now we know more about where we are."

"What did you see out there?"

"We are trapped in the middle of a giant maze, boys. I don't know the how or the why but I do know the who: an organisation of some kind named WICKED."

"Now boys, I'd like to know which of you are willing to go into the maze. Show of hands." It was almost silent, and asides from the hands of Newt and Zero, no one else volunteered. "Well okay then."

"What? That's your brilliant plan then Nick?" Gally, a rather intimidating boy with a tendency to be a bully, spoke up. "Send in the lovebirds and have them killed off? What are you shucking thinking you slinthead?"

"Zee made it out of there alive. It's more than just a possibility now. We've always wondered what was beyond the walls and now we know a little bit more."

"Are you shuckheads forgetting what happened to Andy? Did you not shucking _see_ what happened to him? I shucking did! Do want the same to happen to them?"

"No one will ever be able to forget what happened to Andy, Gally. We don't need you to remind us and that's not going to happen to Zee or Newt." Gally looked to the Leader with absolute disbelief.

"You know what? Shuck the lot of you. It was nice knowing you Zee, Newt. I'll be sure to bring flowers for the both of you 'cause that's about all that's useful for a person's shucking grave." The boy stormed off. Newt, Zero and Nick looked to each other before the Leader spoke again.

"We'll be planning out how to go about this. We're testing out another theory involving those shucking Beetle Blades."

"I've written a request for materials that myself and Newt will need to enter the maze and get back safely." Zero said.

"You mean you asked if they could get rid of the Grievers?" A boy asked. 'Grievers' is what the mechanical killing machine was named. They grieved for their friend, all felt that one emotion, so it seemed a fitting name.

"No, I've a feeling that they wouldn't listen so I thought I should just keep it to things needed to survive."

"Including weapons?" A young boy who went by Frypan asked.

"Yes, but understand that there will only be two and they'll be restricted to the people mapping out the maze." Nick told them all.

"When is this going to be happening?" A teenaged boy named Charlie spoke.

"Next time the Box comes up. If they've given us what we need, we'll start a week afterwards." He paused for a moment. "Alright Shanks, meeting's over. Get back to work."

Zero smiled as the boys went to do their assigned jobs. As she started to walk away, Newt called to her.

"Where do you think you're going love?"

"To the gardens, Guv. Problem?" The girl replied in a mock-British accent.

"Need someone to walk you there? You know, it's not safe for a girl such as yourself to be walking places all by your lonesome." Newt's cheeky smirk turned into a smile as the girl laughed, shaking her head at the boys show of protectiveness. He loved it when she smiled; loved it even more when he was the reason she was smiling or laughing in the first place. The two of them had just clicked, from the moment they introduced themselves properly to each other. There was something about her that Newt seemed to recognise and it was the same for Zero. His smirk was back in place now as he went to catch up to the girl who had decided she didn't need an escort.

''

"'S 'ere! Come on Shanks! 'S arrived!" Shouted Terry, the Keeper of the Box. The response to his words were instantaneous. Every Glader legged it as hard as they could over to the box, eager to find out whether the requests made had been received. Lo and behold, as Terry lowered himself into the box, Newt, who was down there in record time, shouted back up to the rest of them.

"Love, there's a box here for you."

"Yer names written on it 'n everthin'" Terry's Southern drawl announced. "I think they 'eard ya Darlin'."

Gladers were peeking over the edge, waiting to see either boy come up.

"What about the Greenie?" Nick shouted down to them.

"Greenies unconscious; has a nasty bump on his head." Newt shouted back. Nick nodded.

"Alright boys, we'll send down extra rope. Make a harness for him and tie him up good then." A few minutes passed by before a 'We're ready' came from the Box. "You guys, grab the rope and help me pull." Before he gave the signal he turned back around and, knowing that she was definitely holding the rope, called another boy. "Take Zero's place." The boy he asked didn't even hesitate to move her out of the way.

"Sorry Miss Zee, Nick'll kill me if you get rope burn and I don't even want to think what Newt would do if he got to me first." Zero shook her head and moved aside.

"Have at it Char." She said, gesturing to the rope and letting out a sigh of defeat.

The boys tugged on the rope, hoisting up the newest arrival and the Med-jacks walked on over to assess any damage.

"He'll be alright. Give him a day or so and he'll be awake." Clint said.

"Have we nearly got everything out of the Box yet?" Nick asked Terry.

"Yeah, everything's out." The boy said, climbing out of the box.

"Everything?" Zero questioned playfully. "I think you've forgotten something very important down there." Newt eventually climbed out the Box himself and smirked at Terry.

"I am _very_ important: see!" Zero childishly stuck her tongue out at the boys before opening up the box that was marked with her name.

"Well go on love. Tell us what's in there." Newt said, walking up to her. She grinned up at him and stood.

"They heard, they listened and they've answered. We have extra supplies in here, watches, pencils, paper galore and backpacks. Oh, sneakers!" She started nodding as she took in the amount of supplies in the box alone then laughed. "We can do this. We can actually do this, boys."

"A man had to have put us in here," Alby spoke up, "because it seems that even WICKED can't refuse Zero anything." He, too, started to laugh and soon enough the Glade was filled with the happy sounds of all the Gladers celebrating.

It wasn't until later that night that Nick, Newt and Zero sat around a fire, watching as the last of the Gladers made their way to the Homestead.

"You know what this means right?" Nick questioned.

"Somebody's watching us; somebody's always been watching us." Zero answered.

"This has to be some sort of disturbing and warped experiment by WICKED. We're being monitored not just watched." Newt said. "Question now, though, is why?"

"I don't know Guv. 'Spose we'll have to trace the maze and get the answers for ourselves then."

"You two are the only ones crazy enough to go back in there so you two will decided when you go and how long for. It's all up to you two." The two nodded at Nick. "I'm going to talk to Alby. I think he'll be a good substitute second while you're out and about mapping the maze." He said to Newt. "Not replacing you mate, just need someone to help reign in the boys." Newt smiled at him.

"No worries Nick. I reckon he'll be bloody good at it too."

''

"Hello Angel, how you doin'?" Zero just blinked before she burst into laughter. The smile on the boys face slowly dropped when he realised she was laughing _at_ him. The rest of the Gladers stopped what they were doing to watch the scene unfolding in the middle of the Glade. The Asian boy forced a smile and tried again. "My names Minho but you can call me anywhere, anytime." He winked for emphasis. Zero sobered up and smiled gently at the boy.

"It's nice to meet you Minho. My names Zero. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go and tend to my duties." The boy grinned at her.

"How about you attend to my duties?" He said, waggling his eyebrows. She just laughed a little before walking past him. He turned around and gestured 'What?' to the Gladers that were looking at him, all with knowing smirks on their faces. Minho felt an odd sense of foreboding when he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder.

"Stupid thing to do Greenie. You'll get a talking to from Newt if you're lucky. There are four rules here in the Glade. Listen and listen well. Number One: Everyone does their part around here; no slackers. Number Two: Never hurt a Glader. Number Three: Never leave the Glades unless you've got express permission from me and Number Four, now this one, this is probably the most important rule of them all: Never, and I mean never, try anything with Zero unless you want to be killed by an angry mob, and that's only if Newt hasn't finished you off on his own." He almost laughed at the fear that was etched across Minho's face as he stood towering over the boy. "I'll let you off with a warning this time Greenie but you won't be so lucky next time." He then stalked off as menacingly as he could, knowing that the boy was watching him leave. He then allowed a smile to take over his face as he went in search of Zero.

"'The Map Shack' - what do you think?"

"I think that's a shucking stupid name." Nick replied immediately. "You let her name the place?" He said incredulously, asking Newt. "Wait, nevermind, of course you did." Newt looked over, unimpressed while Zero continued smiling.

"So we'll time the closing of the entrances from today and for the next week. We'll go in the day after the seventh and start to map."

"Are you going in different directions?"

"You think I'd let her go off on her own you've gone bloody mental." Newt said. "We're going to map it out together. If we run into any trouble: we'll run back here."

''

"Oi, Minho!" Newt called out. "Got to the Fifth. Here's the map." Newt handed over the papers from his pack and nodded to the Asian boy. "Where did you get up to love?" He asked, turning to Zero.

"Half way to the Fifth. No trouble yet but I heard those shucking Grievers walking around on the other side of this wall." She said, pointing to the location on the map. Newt wrapped his arms around the girl, looking at the map over her shoulder. "I don't know when that wall is open but it wasn't today."

"Good that." Newt replied. "Shucking lucky it wasn't either."

"Okay, so I figure that we'll run together as a group in two days' time to map out the Fifth on the Western side. I've heard a lot of movement through those walls and there's no way I'm letting any of us go there by ourselves." Minho said. Three weeks and they had established a brilliant system. Minho was now Keeper of the Runners. The debate about what to name themselves was entertaining to say the least. Minho suggested they be called 'Minho's Fast Shanks' or the 'MFS' for short but that name was quickly outvoted by 'Mazers'. Eventually Newt suggested 'Runners' seeing as that was what they'd essentially be doing. It was agreed to faster than 'MFS' was shot down.

"We'll be getting a new Greenie in a couple of days so we'll see what he's made of and keep an eye out while he does the tour and his job trials." Alby said, getting a nod from Nick who showed his acceptance of the idea. "Come on then Shanks, let's head back to work."

''

 **Authors Note:** I saw 'Maze Runner: Scorch Trials' and now I'm a little hooked. I watched the first one after finding out the actor for Newt though. I didn't mind it. If you listen to anything I write here, then please, for the good of the world and your own life, please watch the Scorch Trials. Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Amazing: A Maze Runner Fanfiction

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own - 'Maze Runner'. If I did, I don't know if anyone in the maze would bother trying to escape.

Everything had gone to absolute klunk, as the Gladers would all agree. A Greenie had run off into the maze and the Runners took off after him, Zero included. It wasn't until night had fallen, and Newt, Minho and Alby barely made it back to the Glade, that an eerie silence had fallen across the Safe Haven. The Greenie, who had stumbled out of the Northern Gate covered in filth, screamed as loud as he possibly could manage, wailing like an injured animal as tears left clean trails of skin in their wake. Nick made his way to the Greenie, not at all liking the fact that he knew someone was missing.

"Where is she?" He asked calmly. The moment the question was uttered, Gally grabbed for the younger boy and held him up by his t-shirt.

"Where the shucking Hell is Zero?!" He screamed at the boy, shaking him. Nick pried Gally away from the obviously traumatised boy but Gally kept on coming.

"Hold him back!" He yelled at some of the Gladers while he tried his best to calm the boy down. "Look, kid, I need to know where the girl is. The one girl who chased after you. Where is-" Nick almost growled in frustration when he heard the voices of Newt and Minho approaching.

"What's all this then?" Newt said, oblivious for the moment about the absence of his girl. "You found the Greenie then. Well done love; knew you'd do it." He said, turning around and expecting the girl to be there. His face dropped, his usual mischievous smirk disappearing as he realised she didn't answer. He looked towards Nick.

"That shucking slinthead left her in the Maze." Gally all-too-happily supplied, trying once again to break out of the hold of the boys who had him by the arms. "The Greenie won't say a shucking word." Newt sprinted off to the Gate, looking up at it as if it would open for him. A few seconds passed by before the boy started yelling out her name at the top of his lungs, bashing his hands against the immovable, stone walls.

"For shucks sake." Nick said, feeling a bit helpless in this situation. "Alby, try to find out what the Greenie saw, okay?" Alby took the Greenie by the arm and led him to the Homestead. Nick made his way over to where Newt was. Minho had moved him away from the walls, worried for his friends' current state and looked up to Nick. Both boys turned to the English boy as he started to speak.

"Where the bloody hell is she? What the shuck was she thinking? No one, no one survives-" he stopped, shutting his eyes as he wiped at them with his sleeves. "Zee!?" He tried again, calling for her and hoping for a miracle; just one.

"You've got to calm down Newt. If anyone can get out of there in one piece, it's your girl, okay? Don't start mourning her or she'll put a shucking stake up your ass. Let's go see if Alby's gotten the Greenie to talk yet."

''

The Greenie sat in front of the Gladers, nervous as hell and certain he'd be killed after he told his story. He took in a shuddering breath, released it and got ready to talk. His hands were still shaking but he wasn't sure if it was due to what he'd just experienced or if it was because of the look the blonde boy was giving him.

"The girl, when we-"

"Her name isn't 'girl' Greenie." Minho interrupted.

"He won't be saying her name, Minho. He doesn't shucking deserve to." Newt answered, a frightening malicious tone to his voice.

"Let him speak." Nick demanded. He turned back to the Greenie and nodded. "Continue."

"I don't know how long I ran for or how far but she kept up. I thought I had lost her at one point when I heard something and freaked out. I thought it might have been one of you guys or even the girl trying to scare me for running off like that but I was wrong." His face read of nothing short of terror. "This, this thing came out of nowhere; _clink_ , _clink_ , _clink_." He shuddered. "I had no idea what it was and then I _saw_ it. It was some sort of monster-robot thing." He made gestures to help him explain. "It came after me; swiped at me with its tail and I ran. I didn't know where I was or where I was going but I had to move or else it would kill me." He shook his head and sniffled, wiping his nose along his arm. "I got backed up into a corner at some point and I thought 'this is it' when the girl came out of nowhere. She had a metal pole and jumped over the thing. She grabbed me and told me to run at the thing; told me to slide under it once I got close. I did what she said. She was right beside me most of the way back. She kept shouting random numbers to me and kept talking about the Third. Another two of those monsters showed up and she told me to run. She said, 'Whatever you do, Greenie, run.'"

"So you left her to die?!" Newt sneered at the boy. He reared his arm back, fist clenched and went to launch himself at the boy but Minho caught him and pulled him back.

"We all want a piece of the Greenie, mate, but wait until after we find out where she was last, okay?" He didn't wait for answer, not expecting one and the Greenie continued.

"She kept saying 'The Third'. That was the last thing she said before I took off."

"That can't be right." Minho said. "The Third shouldn't've been open today."

"That's what she said, alright? I don't know what she meant! I was too busy wondering if I'd survive."

"Thanks to you she might shucking not you little basta-"

"Newt! Go to the Map Shack. See if the maze has gone back to a previous cycle. Map out where she might be tomorrow morning and you and the Runners can leave at first light. Minho, watch him for me, alright?"

"No problem there Nick. Newt won't do anything stupid in fear of getting a stake up the ass once she gets back anyway." He attempted a smile and went after Newt.

"Gally, you either promise me here and now that you'll leave the Greenie alone or you'll be put in the Slammer, got it?" Gally glared at the Leader of the Gladers and walked off. "Everyone else, let's eat." The group walked in a solemn silence towards the Mess Hall where Frypan would cook up some dinner and hopefully bring a little cheer to the boys.

''

"She left a message on the wall, in blood." Minho informed Nick and Alby. "Said, 'Sorry'."

"Shucking Hell! Where's Newt?" The teen asked.

"He's standing outside of the wall. The message really got to him." As soon as the words had left Minho's mouth, a scream sounded from inside the Maze. The gaze of the three older boys immediately went to the small, distant figure of the English boy. "Shuck, we better go."

''

The Gladers looked on, feeling helpless as they watched Newt. He'd fallen to the ground and hadn't gotten back up after being held back by Nick and Alby. His gaze had yet to leave the walls of the Maze. He had been sitting in front of the wall for four days now and there was no sign that he was going to be moving any time soon.

"Newt, you need to get to the Homestead and rest." Minho rested his hand on his shoulder but got no reaction from the boy. "Newt." He shook him. "Newt!"

"What?!" The boy roared back.

"You need to snap out of this and stop being such a shuck head. You're not the only one who misses her; you're not the only one who's feeling-"

"You don't know a bloody thing!" He stood up at that. "You don't fucking know a single thing you bloody bastard. None of you do! I _love_ her and now I'll never get to tell her. Bloody hell, I'll _never_ get to _tell her_." He pushed Minho back to the floor and ran as hard as he could, headed for the forest; for the Deadheads. Minho watched him leave and put a hand up to the group of Runners around him.

"Leave him. He needs some space."

The Gladers found him the next morning in a crumpled, bleeding heap at the base of the wall by the forest. The Med-jacks cleaned out his wounds, reset bones and bandaged him up as good as they could manage it. Nick watched on as they fixed the broken teen through guilty eyes. He should have stopped them from going into that stupid shucking Maze; should have known better as a Leader, as a friend, as a brother, that none of this would lead to any good because here in the Maze, the only good that had ever happened, happened within the safety of the Glades. Now another person had fallen and Nick was starting to doubt his ability to lead.

"What is it Nick?" Asked Alby as he walked out of the Medical hut.

"I'm going to find her and I'm going to bring her back and we're all going to watch as she slaps that stupid British shank in the face for doing such a slintheaded thing." He made his way to the Maze.

"Nick, don't be stupid. We need you here."

"No, Zee needs me. I need my little sister back, Alby. I'll bring her back, promise."

''

Twelve days had passed by since Nick returned empty handed. Minho had the Runners going at it from the crack of dawn to mere seconds before the Gates of the Glades shut. Alby had started to take on the role of Leader since their current one had fallen into a depression and Newt, he tried to pretend that she had never existed because the pain of memories were felt more than the actual injuries he'd sustained after jumping from the wall.

It would be another month before the unbelievable happened; another month before the dead came walking through the gates of the Glades.

''

"Help! I need the Med-jacks! Quickly! Shucking move it you slintheads." Minho screamed as loud as he possibly could. In his arms was a person and the Gladers watched with baited breath as Minho laid the figure on the ground. "Shucking hurry!" He yelled, close to hysterical. "It's Zee!" Those two words seemed to resonate through every single soul in the Glade and suddenly everyone dropped what they were doing and Med-jacks were running fast enough to rival the best of the Runners, Minho included.

"Move! We need space." He looked to Minho. "Get the boys away from here! Now!"

"Get back! Get the shuck back now!" The Asian boy yelled, pushing some of the Gladers back with enough force to send them to the ground. "Shucking help me Gally!" He said to the builder. The boy nodded and started advancing towards the mass of boys, forcing them to move back as he continued to advance on them in his ever threatening manner.

"Give them space or you'll be joining the Deadheads! Understand you Shanks?!" He told them.

"Where is she?!" The accented voice of Newt could be heard from anywhere in the Glade. He ran as fast and as hard as he could and the boys let him through. He skidded to his knees, sliding to the side of the girl on the grass. "Please, please, please be alright love." He begged her. He grabbed one of her hands and held fast. Clint looked to Jeff, the Keeper of the Med-jacks. The boy nodded before addressing Newt.

"Help us get her to the Med-stead." Newt carefully, gently, picked her up from the ground, clutching her to him, desperately trying to feel her as she inhaled and exhaled. He placed her on the bed in the Med-stead.

"I'm sorry mate, but we need you to leave. We'll fix her up, get her better, but we need to be able to do what we need to do, alright?"

"I'm not leaving her."

"I'm not giving you a choice. You either get out of here now and we start to help her or you stay in here and we don't. Once you leave we'll get to it but I'm not doing anything until you're out of here." Jeff felt like a right prick having to have said that but he needed the boy out of there to avoid any awkward situations. He sure as hell didn't want to have to explain why Newt had seen Zee starkers without her permission and didn't want to try to think up an excuse as to why the boys' presence was necessary in the first place. Newt glared at the boy but the boy remained standing still, his arms folded across his chest. Newt relented after a last glare at the Keeper of the Med-jacks.

''

She awoke with a start, opening her eyes only to find herself staring into warm, brown ones. Her eyes started to tear up as she heard him speaking to her.

"You're alright now love; I'm here." She clung to him as much as he clung to her and he breathed in deeply, inhaling her scent and loving the feeling of having her back in his arms. "I love you Zee. I thought I'd never get the chance to tell you that. I love you, love." She let out a watery laugh and pulled back.

"I love you too." She said with a sad smile. "But I'm going to wake up and you're not going to be there. They'll be back soon and they'll wake me up and take you away from me again." She said, slowly backing herself against the wall of the Med-stead, curling into a ball. "I suppose it's alright though. At least I've gotten to see you one last time right?"

"Love, this is real; I'm real."

"Of course you are, Newt. You always are and then you leave me and they wake me and we go through it all again." Newt approached her, sitting on the bed. He coaxed her towards him and held her hand, looking down and smiling at that simple action.

"I don't know what they did to you love, but trust me, I'm real." He leant forward, placing his lips upon her own, applying the smallest amount of pressure before sitting back. He watched as she brought a hand to her mouth, fingertips brushing along the bottom lip. She looked up at him.

"Well that's never happened before."

"I guess they couldn't imagine just how much of a great kisser I am Love." He smiled then. "You still believe this isn't real?" She hesitated before nodding. "Have you been back to the Glade since they got you?" He asked. Frankly he'd rather be asking who 'they' were but for the moment, getting her to understand that she wasn't in some odd dreamscape was the priority.

"Of course not. What would the point of that be? Whatever they're looking for, it's in this hut." She said carefully, eyeing Newt with some suspicion.

"Come on then Love. I'll help you up, hell I'll bloody carry you again and show you that this is real." She didn't have time to answer before Newt had her in his arms and was exiting the Med-stead. He heard her gasp, looking down as she inhaled sharply. Then she was laughing in disbelief and crying for the same reason.

"I'm really back?" She whispered.

"Oi! Stupid shank girl!" She heard being shouted. She turned in the direction and was met with a chest as Minho squeezed her tightly, having been taken from the arms of the English boy. "Next time, you shucking leave the Greenie and get the shuck back here."

"Good that." She replied breathlessly. She didn't have all that much time to recover her breath as she was passed on to Nick.

"He wasn't shucking joking either. Your life above all others, got it? I nearly lost my sister because she decided to play shucking Hero." She nodded into the eldest boys' chest. "Alby's next Zee. Better get used to this."

"Your new home is the Slammer, Zee. That way we'll know where you are and you're not going to be able to escape."

"Good that Alby. Good that." She was passed to another and the Gladers tried their best not to laugh at the boy as his face turned an incredibly bright red.

"You're a klunkfaced, slintheaded idiot. Do anything like this again, and I'll shucking kill you myself."

"I missed you too Gally." Zee replied, hugging the boy back. She was placed back in the arms of Newt eventually and everyone turned to Alby.

"I think it's time to welcome back the Lady of the Glades." A collective 'Good that' sounded before the boys began shouting out in celebration.

''

"They were people; adults. All of them. They kept running experiments: taking blood, inducing sleep; all of that."

"It was WICKED?" She nodded, her face serious.

"They kept saying, 'WICKED is good', over and over again. Kept telling me that it was all for the greater good. I couldn't stay there though. So one day I tried to escape but once I made it to the maze I figured it was too good to be true. I just walked out of there, like I had many times before in the dreams. This time though, I didn't run into anybody. No alarms went off while I was making my escape; no one noticed I'd slipped out of there. I thought this was all just another dream. They could control them; my dreams I mean. They were looking for something; hoped I would show them something. I still don't know what. I couldn't risk giving them whatever the hell it was that they shucking wanted." She shook her head. The boys looked at each other before Alby tentatively asked her.

"What happened when you refused to help?"

"They punished me." She said, not wanting to elaborate. Newt's jaw clenched at that. He wasn't naive enough to believe that 'they' had done nothing to her for disobeying or refusing to co-operate. It was just, hearing it from Zee herself, he wanted revenge. Plain and simple and as easy as that. The rational part of his mind warned him off of the idea but the protective side was ready to go and kick some WICKED arse.

"How? What did they do?" Nick asked, his face displaying his emotions. Zero shook her head.

"Doesn't matter, does it? What's done is done. WICKED is evil and they'll try to kill us all if we don't follow their plan."

"What's their plan then?" Zero shrugged.

"I don't know." She stared out the window of the Med-stead. "All I do know is: we're safe within the Glade."

''

"I couldn't go on alone; I gave up." Newt's voice had her jump a little as she sat in the bed. The boy stood, leaning against the entrance, facing towards the ground with an angry expression. "I gave up on you. Who the bloody hell does that?" He asked. He felt like an absolute pile of klunk for what he had done that day in the Glade. Zero remained silent and waited for him to continue. "I didn't know what to do. We heard you scream, love, and I couldn't shucking well get to you and save you. I tried, I tried to get back into the maze but Nick, the boys, they wouldn't let me. So I climbed." Zero was staring at him intently. "I climbed the shucking wall and I jumped right off it. I _wanted_ to _die_." He hadn't noticed that she'd made her way over to him, ever so slowly inching her way to the boy she loved. She looked up at him, held his face in her hands and sent him a sad smile.

"We're both shucking idiots then." She let out a little laugh. "I'd've done the exact same thing love." She was quiet for a moment, thinking hard about something. "Well, maybe not climb the wall and all, what with me being lazy and all." Newt forced a smile to which he was promptly smacked in the arm. "I may be invalid at this moment in time, but don't think that you can get away with the one-person pity party that you have going on, right? Now, go get me some dinner love." She said, grinning at the boy, hoping he'd be back to his old self. She sent him off with a kiss and waited for his return.

"Got a moment Zee?" She heard Alby say as he entered the room.

"What's up Alby?" The boy looked worried, concerned.

"It's Nick. He, well nearly everyone did but him and Newt were the worst." She raised an eyebrow. "He thought it was all is his fault; thinks it is all his fault. Us being in the maze, you getting kidnapped and tortured, Newt trying to take his life; everything bad that has ever happened." He looked to her, a plea in his eyes. "I think he's going to do something stupid."

Truer words had never been spoken. Not even two days had passed before Nick decided he'd try to escape and get help for the Gladers that he had led for the better part of a year. Despite the protests, and the warnings that his plan wouldn't work, Nick attempted to go down the shaft which brought the Box to the Glades. Alby, Terry, Newt and Zee watched as the boy was brutally cut in half: his torso ripped from the lower body, and watched as he fell into the dark abyss from which their supplies, and the Greenies, were delivered.

''

 **Authors Note:** Yes, it's short. Shame really, I was hoping to write more but I want this story to focus on the Scorch trials rather than the Glade and the maze. It's an easier story to write once they get out and are all out in the open and what not. Anyway, hope you enjoyed.


	3. Chapter 3

Amazing: A Maze Runner Fanfiction

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own - 'Maze Runner'. If I did,

Two and a half years and the Gladers had lived in relatively peaceful, safe conditions. A warning from WICKED was found a month after Nick's attempt, informing the Gladers that if they persisted on trying to escape, there would be dire consequences. The Runners still ran though, mapping out the maze, but there was an increase in Griever activity. Despite that, though, WICKED had never warned them to stay away from the maze.

"You running today love?"

"'Course she is. She couldn't say no to this perfection." Minho answered instead, gesturing to himself as he emphasised the word 'perfection'. "Could you Zee?"

"I only ever want to be by your side Minnie!" She declared dramatically, running towards the boy, a hand on her forehead and pretending to faint towards him. Newt shook his head at their antics.

"Okay, okay, enough." He turned and sent a playful glare towards the Asian boy. "If I hear you've tried anything with her in that maze, you'll be running for more than just your life, good that?" Minho laughed aloud and threw a handful of grass at the blonde.

"I'll return your Lady in a few hours, after we've had ourselves some fun in the maze!" The two ran off laughing as Newt called out some empty, hilarious threats.

''

"It's my turn to welcome the Greenie." Gally said, looking every part of the bully that he had become. "Let's go greet him." He said as Terry called out to the Gladers, telling them of the coming arrival of supplies.

"Ten chocolate bars says this one's a runner." Zero said.

"I take that. He'll be a screamer for sure. I mean, the first thing he'll wake up to see will be Gally's shuck ugly face." Minho said, smirking. Newt shook his head but decided to join the wager all the same.

"I reckon he'll bloody well jump back in the Box." They shook hands before going back to what they had been previously doing, ignoring the commotion at the Box.

"Newt!" The boys name had been bellowed across the Glade and Newt yelled back.

"What?!"

"Get over here!" Alby yelled. Newt rolled his eyes before getting up.

"See you later Love" He said to Zee before walking off.

"Hey, don't I get a 'See you later'?!" Minho called after him, walking right behind the boy.

Zero rolled her eyes now, watching as the two bantered. She stood up and left the plants to themselves after a moment or two, knowing that Gally would be down in the Box in a minute or so. She dusted herself off, walking as she did, making her way to the forest, towards the Map Shack. She faintly recalled hearing Gally scream something out before she was bowled over, sprawled on the grass and completely winded as her breath was taken from her body. She tried to stand up, and for a horrifying moment she thought she had been paralysed, before she heard a groan sound from above her. She opened her eyes and simply blinked as she looked at the boy who was on top of her. The boy blinked back in confusion and curiosity.

"Excuse me," she wheezed, "but would you mind getting off of m-" She didn't need to finish her sentence as the boy's attention was taken by the Gladers.

"Get the shuck off of her now Greenie before we kill you!" Gally threatened. The boy looked back down at the girl before he stuttered out an apology and stood up, only to find himself back on the ground and eating dirt.

"Gally, let the boy up. He was scared and running for his life." Zero said. She then turned to Newt and Minho. "I win." She said, poking out her tongue and winking at them.

"He almost broke our Third Rule." Gally said, frustrated by the Greenie.

"He doesn't even know our rules Gally." Newt said.

"He just ploughed into your girl and you're going to defend the shuckhead?"

"Give it up Gally." Alby said, demanding that the boy be left alone. "You've a lot to learn Greenie," he said, helping the boy up, "but if there's something that you should remember, it's never mess with Gally and never mess with the maze. Let's get this over with."

''

"I thought, uh, Alby was giving me the Tour." The Greenie said.

"Well, mate, you're stuck with me." Newt replied. "Now come on. I'll give you a run down of the place."

It was a while longer before Newt brought the boy to the kitchen's where Frypan was cooking up something that smelled absolutely divine.

"This is Frypan, Keeper of the Cooks and all round nice guy. The little blighter sticking his hands in the pot over there," this was followed by Frypan throwing a wooden spoon at the boy that was getting into the food, "is Chuck. He came up last month." Newt then nodded and looked around before turning back to the Greenie. "And that pretty much ends the tour of the Glades. Welcome Greenie. Any questions?"

"Who is she?" He asked. Newt expected this question. Every Greenie asked about her, seeing as she was the only female in the Glades.

"She's the Keeper of the Glades; she'll introduce herself at dinner."

''

"You won me ten chocolate bars Greenie," Zero began as she approached the boy, "and you swept me off my feet." The boy flushed at that. The girl held her hand out, smiling at the boy. "I'm Zero, Keeper of the Glades. It's nice to meet you." He took her hand, shook it and returned the smile.

"I'm, I'm uh-"

"Don't hurt yourself Greenie; it'll come back to you. Now, what do you think of the Glades so far?"

"It's different. I can't explain how but I know it's different from wherever I was before."

"Scary too, huh? Every single one of us was scared klunkless when we woke up without any memories. Though I was a part of the original seven. You see, the original Gladers were sent up in a small group so we at least had each other as that elevator brought us up. Yes, we were scared and confused but we knew we weren't the only ones."

"How long have you been here?"

"I'm almost certain that you've asked this question to Newt already, but it's been about three years."

"You're the Keeper of Glades." He then stated. "What does that mean? What do you do here?" Zero smiled and laughed a little.

"I don't sit around all day if that's what you thought. I dabble in all of the jobs here at the Glade from cooking to gardening to building. I do a different job each day and I try my best to help Alby keep the boys in line."

"You're a Runner as well then?"

"Yes. I ran with the boys yesterday actually."

"What's so dangerous about the maze? Why did that boy, Gally, act like a, a, a shank?" The word 'shank' was said with hesitation as the boy tried to recall some of the slang that Newt had used.

"Because the maze is unforgiving and no one survives it." She stood up from her place by the fire, sending a nod in Newts direction before she looked back at the Greenie. "Follow me. We won't be long. You'll be back in time to join in the festivities." The boy got up and walk after her. She led them through the forests, eventually leading them to a small clearing where crosses had been erected from tree branches. She gestured to them. "This is why we only allow Runners into the maze. These poor souls were taken from us. We don't want to lose any more Gladers." She allowed the boy a moment to truly allow it to sink in, the reality of it all. His eyes roamed over the handful of marked graves, a shiver working its way up his spine. He looked to Zero and felt a surge of protectiveness as he saw the unshed tears that had built up in her eyes. What was in the maze though? He couldn't help but wonder what it was that caused the deaths of the boys. He was even more curious now.

''

It had been three weeks now, three weeks and the Greenie, now known as Thomas, had adjusted relatively well. It was during the beginning of his third week that Minho informed him that he would be joining him on a run.

That afternoon, most Gladers were waiting by the entrance of the Eastern gate, staring wide-eyed into the maze.

"Go to the Homestead you Shanks!" Alby said to them, trying to clear the area. "Now! Don't make me shove you all in the Slammer!" He watched as most of the boys cleared off, save for Gally, Jeff, Clint, and Newt. Zero turned in the blonde boy's arms, looking up at him as he tightened his hold on her.

"They'll be fine Love." Newt said to her, his voice gentle yet firm. "Minho won't allow some stupid shucking Griever to get anywhere near them." As soon as he said it, they heard something.

"Med-jacks!" It was Minho. The situation felt all too familiar for the boys. Images of the Runner coming out of there with the broken body of Zero flashed through the minds of the boys. "Griever got Ben!" The Med-jacks were fully prepared to run into the maze at the Asian boys' words when they heard it: the sounds of the stone walls grinding together, closing the maze.

"Run Minnie!" Zero screamed. "Shucking run!" Everyone was shouting out now, encouraging the boy as he raced on. They watched with baited breath as Minho came into view, supporting a stung Ben with the help of Thomas.

"Come on Thomas, let's shucking get out of here!" They heard Minho yell.

"Shucking trying!" Thomas replied, equally as loud. The two boys barely stepped back into the Glade when the gate closed behind them. Jeff and Clint were immediately by Ben's side as had fallen to the ground in relief for having made it.

"We've got to get him the serum." Jeff said simply. Zero nodded to them, running off towards the Med-stead. She was back in what seemed to be the blink of an eye, standing there with the serum. "Thanks Lady Zee." The Med-jack replied automatically, stabbing the needle into the arm of the boy. "Let's get him to the Med-stead."

''

"Hush now Chuck; he'll be fine." Zero said as she held the youngest of the Gladers, trying her best to calm the boy down. Chuck eventually fell asleep and with some help from Newt and Alby, the boy was taken to back to the Homestead.

A small Gathering was taking place with the original Gladers present, along with Minho and Thomas.

"I went to run; went to leave him there to save my own shucking self but this guy...Thomas here ran back to Ben. He killed the Griever."

"He what?" Zero said, her breathing quickening. She felt an overwhelming amount of fear at hearing those words. Newt looked to her, grabbed her hand and gave her a questioning glance. She stood up then. "No, no, no, no, no, no. You can't kill the Grievers." She said with absolute conviction. Gally looked at her with a little concern as well. This wasn't how he thought the Keeper of Glades would react to such news. He was somewhat smug that she seemed to be thinking along the same line as him at the moment but she seemed to be reacting much too strongly.

"What's the matter Love?" Newt asked but she just kept staring at Thomas.

"Please tell me you didn't; tell me it's not true." She said to the boy.

"I had to kill it. I couldn't get to Ben while it was still alive." She inhaled deeply, once, twice; a third time and breathed out. She sat back down. "What? What did I do? I saved Ben!" Thomas said, not liking the darkening of Zero's aura.

"WICKED will punish us; I don't want to go back inside that room."

"Love?" Newt questioned. "Love, what room?" She shook her head.

"Thank you Thomas for saving Ben." She said, standing up once again and walking off. "I'm going to sleep now." She said.

"What the shuck was that?" Minho said, looking confused. It was disturbing, that's what it was, he thought to himself. He'd never seen her act like that before.

"Has she told you anything about what they did to her?" Alby asked Newt but the boy shook his head.

"She said that it wasn't right to burden people with her trials and tribulations." Newt said, staring in the direction of Zee's little hut, not paying much mind to the boys in the circle.

"Look what you've done Shank." Gally said. "You've gotten Ben stung _and_ you've upset Zee. Slinthead."

"Gally." Alby said, his voice warning. "Don't." He turned back to Thomas. "How did you kill it?" He asked. "Don't leave a single detail out." Gally got up and left, not wanting to listen to how his friend had gotten stung.

''

Two days later, in the morning, Ben awoke. His memories were back and he was not happy at all. He was on a mission as he stalked through the Glades. Thomas had been working for WICKED; the Greenie was the reason they were all there in the first place. He was going to fix things and get revenge, on behalf of all those that had been killed and for all those that were still alive.

"Ben!" He turned in the direction of the shout and was in the arms of a girl by the time he figured out who it was that had called his name. "You're awake!" She hugged him fiercely. "You're awake." She repeated. He smiled down at her before remembering a brief glimpse of her face on someone's computer monitor. You poor soul, he thought, you've no idea what they have in store for you. He grabbed her by her shoulders, hands fastened to her as he pulled her back.

"You're not safe here Zee; no one is but especially not you. Thomas is a traitor." He said, his grip tightening. "He has to go, Zee. We can't stop them if he's here." He saw her wince and loosened his grip. "Sorry." He said before letting her go and walking off. Zero watched him go, rubbing at her arms. She had a feeling that something big was going to go down and knew that she had to tell Alby. She legged it to where the Leader of the Gladers was.

"Ben's awake but I think he's going to do something extremely stupid and I think I'll need your help when he does." Alby didn't even bother to question anything that she said and simply ran beside her as they made their way to where she'd last seen Ben. That was when Thomas came running out of the forest like a madman.

"Help!" He screamed out, and they watched as Ben came running after him. Minho ran to Thomas as Zero ran to Ben. She held her hands out, trying to block him.

"Ben! Ben. Listen to me. What the shucking hell is going on?" The boy looked at her.

"I told you. He needs to go." He tried to push past her but she pushed him back.

"What do you think you're going to do to him? He hasn't done anything to anyone."

"You're on his side?!" Ben cried out incredulously. He looked betrayed at that moment in time but his expression morphed in an instant. "You're a traitor then." He snarled at her. "You're one of them." He started to look manic and before she could properly comprehend exactly where this was going, Ben lunged at her. She was tackled to the ground as Ben started screaming at her. "You're on his side!" He yelled. "You're on his side!" Zero tried her best to shield herself from Ben's fists, tried her best to kick the boy off of her but she felt relief only after Newt had come and rescued her from the crazed boy. The English boy dropped the shovel and pulled Zero up, dragging her backwards with him as Alby went to check on Ben who held his head and looked around in a daze.

"You alright love?" Newt was checking her over himself. She nodded.

"Just caught me a bit on the hop." She said. "He didn't hurt me all that much." Newt just gave her a look that silenced her. Clearly it looked worse than what it felt.

"I'm sorry!" Ben wailed as Alby hoisted him up off of the floor. "I'm sorry but you can't trust Thomas. You can't trust him! Don't trust him Zee! I'm sorry! Don't!"

"You broke rules Two and Four. It's to the Slammer with you until we think of something." Ben started to flail, kicking his legs out as he tried to escape the eldest boys hold. "You're shucking lucky that Newt's too busy helping Zee or you'd be dead right now Benny." He hauled the boy off to the Slammer. Thomas looked around at the scene where chaos had erupted and looked to Zero.

"I'm so sorry." He said. "I didn't know he'd do that." Zero just ignored him in favour of speaking to Newt in hushed whispers.

"Ben said he was traitor; kept calling him a traitor and told me that no one was safe, especially me." Newt pulled her to him and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Come on love, to the Med-stead we go."

"I feel fine." She said to the boy. "Just a little winded. Ben has one hell of a tackle that's for sure." She said, laughing a little. Newt cracked a smile before his face darkened.

"He hurt you love."

"He was stung." Newt just nodded, silently disagreeing with her. There was no excuse for such actions; none at all.

''

Newt closed the door to the Slammer and waited for Ben to acknowledge his presence there.

"I'm sorry." Ben said immediately. "I didn't mean to hurt Zer-" He let out a grunt as Newt drove his fist into the boys stomach. "She wa-" He let out a pained moan as Newt punched him once again. "I didn't mean to hurt her." He fell to the floor as Newt packed all his strength into that last hit.

"I don't like liars." The boy said, eerily calm. "Don't ever mention her when you're in my presence again. You have no right to."

"Thomas, he's traitor." He received a kick in reply. "Argh!" He clutched his stomach and curled up into a ball.

"You called _her_ a traitor. What the shuck were you thinking?" He asked the boy. "Bloody _attacking_ Zee?" He picked the boy up from the ground. The blonde mightn't've looked it, but all those days spent working the fields gave him some pretty impressive strength. "Thank whoever you fucking feel that you need to because I'm not going to kill you. You're lucky that Zero actually gives a shit about you after what you did today." He threw the boy on the floor and climbed up out of the Slammer, locking the cage as he disappeared into the night.

"Good talk?" Alby questioned as the boy made his way over. Newt nodded.

"What are we going to do about him?" The Keepers had been asked to a Gathering, all except for Zee.

"He's not stable, that much is obvious." Winston said. He got a sound of agreement from most of the boys.

"He was stung by a Griever." Gally said. "He'll be alright soon." The boy said, defending his friend.

"Did you not see what he shucking did to Zee?" Minho asked him. "You were shucking there."

"He hurt her. Not as badly as she has been before but he didn't hold back when he started hitting her." Jeff said. Minho gave Gally a look that said, 'See?'.

"Banish him from the Glade." Newt then said.

"No." Gally replied immediately.

"Well it's either leave him with the Grievers or I bloody go back to the Slammer and kill him myself." The blonde said, his face masked with anger.

"Shuck you, slinthead. You wouldn't be this shucking angry if it was anyone else. You're only shucking angry because it's shucking Zee." Gally was staring hard at the boy.

"Shucking right about that, klunkface. You'll be next if you bloody well keep it up." Newt threatened.

It was eventually agreed upon by all but Gally, that Ben was to be banished to the maze for his actions against the Keeper of the Glades and for attempting to kill the Greenie.

''

"What's going on over there?" Chuck was nervous as all hell at the moment. He had been tasked with distracting Zero and keeping her at the opposite side of the Glade from where they were banishing Ben.

"Oh, where? I don't see anything. Nothing's going on." He said. The words were rushed and he barely had time to realise that Zero had started running towards the other end of the Glade. "I'm going to be in so much trouble." The boy said, running off after her, knowing that he'd never catch up. "Runners." He said, rolling his eyes.

"What the shuck do you think you're doing?!" Zero shouted.

"They're banishing him to the maze." Gally practically spat.

"You can't do this! He doesn't deserve this!" She shouted but was promptly ignored as the boys moved forward, spears pointed towards the frightened Ben. She turned to her blonde boy. "Newt? This isn't right." He didn't look at her, his intense gaze focused on Ben.

"'S the only way love." Ben was frantically looking at all the boys before casting a glance at Zero. That was when he turned tail and ran into the maze.

''

Terry's voice echoed across the Glades, surprising every soul in the Glade.

"We got a delivery comin' up boys! It ain't 'sposed to be here 'til next week." He shouted. All the boys made their way to the Box. Newt dropped down into the Box, as did Terry, and both were stunned.

"You're not going to believe this love." Newt shouted up.

"Sure ain't as beautiful as you are Darlin' but now the rest of us boys have a chance at gettin' a girl." Terry said enthusiastically. Zero let out a laugh.

"There's a girl down there? You're not pulling my leg are you?" She asked in amazement.

"You'd kick me if I was love." Newt replied, cheekily grinning at Terry. The boys waited for the girl to wake up before they gestured to the rope. The Greenie hurriedly climbed out and almost let out a sigh of relief as she spotted another female. She looked around at the wide-eyed boys before turning to Thomas then back to Zero.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"Welcome to the Glades Greenie." Alby said. "I'm Alby; Leader of the Gladers." He introduced himself. "These are the boys; they'll introduce themselves later." He then pointed in the direction of Zero. "That enchanting creature over there will most likely be your new best friend. Zee, help a fellow girl out would you." He said, laughing at the expressions that crossed the Greenie's face. The boys joined in too. The laughter faded though as Chuck spoke up.

"Where is she going?" He asked, before taking off after the girl. Terry had only just exited the Box when he looked back to Newt.

"Might want t' climb a lil' faster Newt. Your girl ain't likin' th' look of th' Greenie, seems." Newt hauled himself up and looked back at the Greenie in confusion.

"Best go after her then." Newt said. "Where did she go?" Chuck nodded his head in the direction.

"Miss Zee went that way; Gally went after her."

''

"What's all that about?" Gally asked her. "I thought you'd be happy for some female company." Zero huddled in a corner. Gally's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "What is it?" He asked, crouching down in front of her, concern flashing through his eyes.

"She was there." Gally's eyes narrowed. "But she wouldn't remember. I can't hate her for something that she doesn't know she did."

"What do you mean, 'She was there'? During your time out of the Glades?" Zero nodded.

"Don't tell Newt, or the others, please?" Gally shook his head, disagreeing with the 'keeping secrets' notion. "I'll tell you what happened, everything, if you keep quiet about her." It took a moment, maybe even two, but Gally eventually decided that knowing what had happened, knowing everything that happened wherever Zero had been taken, was a fair exchange for his silence.

"She was a recruiter; helping WICKED find children to put into the mazes." Gally shook his head. "There's more than one Glade out there. They tried to make me believe that everything they did was for the greater good but that's a load of klunk. They've made a serum, like the one we have but not as effective. They needed to know how we did it but I wouldn't speak. They tried everything from bribery to, to torture and then one day they sent her in. They figured that they could try to get me to sympathise with their cause and appeal to my 'compassionate' nature by sending in a girl around my age who had a life filled with horrid memories, like so many others. She didn't understand; _they_ didn't understand." She looked up at Gally. "She could have chosen not to join WICKED; she had a _choice_. We don't. It's stay inside the Glade; stay inside the maze if you want to live. That's not much of a choice. We crave freedom and here she is, stopping by for a shucking play date with the Gladers. That witch, she might not have her memories but I shucking wasn't lucky enough to forget what they did." She stood then, forcing Gally to stand up and move a couple of steps backwards. She turned, facing the opposite wall and grabbed the hem of her shirt, lifting it up, much to the surprise of Gally.

"What are yo-" He stared at her bare back in a mix of disgust and anger.

"Always remember: WICKED is good." She whispered. Gally's fists clenched by his side as he read the jaggered lettering: WICKED is GOOD. Her back still looked raw and the cuts were by no means shallow, having been carved well and truly into her flesh. She'd never forget that WICKED is good and neither would Gally.

''

Newt ran as he watched Gally storm out of Zero's hut.

"What the bloody hell happened?" Gally shook his head, glaring at the boy before storming off. Newt stopped and watched him before making his way through the little door. "Love?" Zero looked up.

"Sorry. She reminded me of someone. I don't know who so I was trying to figure it out." Newt eyed her suspiciously, not believing a word she said.

"What had Gally so twisted and acting like a bigger slinthead then normal?" She shrugged.

"Told him he doesn't stand a chance with a nose that looks like his." She said, smirking at the boy. "He didn't think it was as funny as I did. That, and he's still upset about Ben." Her face dropped at that. "Only human nature to be angry at those around you when you're working things out."

"I suppose it is." He replied, turning back to where he had last seen Gally, his face stoney as he wondered what it was that Zero had told him.

"I best go welcome the She-Greenie. See you later love." She kissed the boy, planting her lips briefly against his before running off. While she was doing that, Newt was going to interrogate Gally.

''

"I'm Zero; Keeper of the Glades." I'm also the one that you sold out to WICKED and helped experiment on but hey, what can I do when you remember nothing? She thought to herself.

"I can't remember my name yet."

"No one ever does Greenie, not straight out of the Box. How are you liking the Glades so far?" She asked, standard questions for the Greenies who arrived each month. She noticed that the girl wasn't paying her much attention, her eyes instead following Thomas around the Glade. "Got your eye on someone already Greenie? Thomas came up three weeks ago."

"He seems familiar." Zero's breath quickened slightly at that sentence, Ben's words echoing in her ear from the day before. 'Thomas is a traitor.'

"Well, let's go and get you two formally introduced then." Zee chirped, walking in Thomas' direction. "Tommy! The She-Greenie would like to meet you." There were claps and a whistle or two at her words and Zero smiled pleasantly at the girl, turning back and winking at Thomas.

"Teresa." Thomas said, walking up to them.

"What?" The She-Greenie asked.

"Teresa?" He said again, a questioning tone to his voice. The name kept flashing through his mind and he couldn't help the fact that, he too, felt like he knew the girl. The girl's eyes widened before she spoke.

"Teresa. My name's Teresa!" She exclaimed.

That night, at dinner, Thomas and Teresa tried to recall exactly how they knew each other as the Gladers shared stories, all light-hearted, and chatted into the night. Zero remained outside of the circle; Gally had moved away from the festivities as well. Newt was getting worried about Zee. He missed her smile and laughter and didn't appreciate the fact that the only genuine smile she'd shown since Teresa came up had been directed towards Gally. He shook his head, knowing that she'd tell him when she was ready but had the sneaking suspicion that she had confided in the Keeper of the Builders; the boy had been watching after Zee like a hawk since he came out of the shack. That was it, he was going to get answers. He walked over to her, ready to slowly coax her back to her room to get her to talk to him.

"Come on love: no use watching the gates." Newt said. Zero slowly stood and took the hand that he offered her. She stopped abruptly though, causing Newt to look back at her. "What is it love?" Zero's eyes widened as she turned back to look at the gate.

"They're still open." She whispered. Newt's eyes widened as he realised what that meant. "The gates are still open!" Zero cried out, running off to the where Alby was, dragging Newt behind her. "Everybody run! Hide!" Newt let go of her hand.

"We'll be right love. You go get Alby and I'll warn off the rest of the Gladers." He took off into the night and ran as fast as he could, yelling at the boys in the Glade. Seemed that his talk with his girl would have to wait.

''

Sunlight crept into the Glade, shedding light on the destruction and chaos that had been bestowed upon their safe Haven the night before. Zero climbed down from her hiding spot in the trees making her way to the center of the Glade where she had spotted some of the boys. Bodies of Gladers who were just outright unlucky littered the ground which had once been home.

"You can't kill a Griever!" Gally shouted. "This is what she meant!" He screamed. "This is on the two of you! You're the reason that they're all shucking dead!" He launched himself at Thomas. Thomas pushed Teresa behind him and moved them out of the way of the homicidal builder.

"They'll never shut again." Zero said. "They'll never shut again and now the rest of us will be taken." Newt looked over to her, trying his best to keep Gally away from Thomas. Minho walked over and placed an arm around her, bringing her to his side. "They're going to shucking take us to the shucking room. You don't understand!" She said.

"We need to go into the maze." Thomas said.

"And then what, huh, slinthead?" Gally all but roared. "What then?!" The group fell into silence as they heard it, a loud rumbling mixed with mechanical whirling. Grievers had begun to pour into the Glade from three of the Gates in broad daylight. The small group made up of Gally, Minho, Thomas, Teresa, Chuck, Winston, Alby, Newt and Zero turned to each other before bolting for the only clear exit out of the Glade.

"Shucking run!"

''

 **Authors Note:** I've changed the plot line slightly from both the books and the movies. Hope you've enjoyed.


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